With the legalization of marijuana in 4 states and counting, smoking weed is becoming increasingly acceptable.
As a matter of fact, 58% of Americans said cannabis should be legal in a survey conducted in 2015.
Go America! We’ve come a long way since the days of Reefer Madness.
Now that having an occasional joint after work is beginning to become as normal as having a beer when you get off work, it’s time to discuss the implications that this may have on your ability to maintain a lean physique.
It’s true that smoking weed alone is not going to directly lead to you putting on body fat, but there is this side effect you may have heard of…
“The Munchies”
Some emerging research points to a specific cannabinoid called tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC) that contributes to a heightened sense of smell, which can often lead to an increased appetite as well.
When you’re hungrier – you want to eat more. It’s as simple as that.
I know there are those amongst us who have been smoking so long that they now claim to be immune to the appetite increasing effects of marijuana.
This may be true and in that case, this article is not for you.
Personally I’ve been smoking weed for over 12 years now and regardless of how high my tolerance gets, I still feel the need to eat everything in my general vicinity.
If you fall into this camp as well – then this article is for you.
And within this article my main objective is to answer the age old question, “How can you smoke weed and not get fat?”
Way back when I weighed almost 250 lbs, I had not yet mastered the art of smoking weed and getting (or staying) ripped.
It was the same old routine. I would tell myself I would stick to eating a certain way or working out and once I smoked weed, I immediately came down with a severe case of the “Fuck its”.
“The Fuck its” is a term my old college football coach introduced me to – referring to when you are supposed to do something, but then smoke weed and say, “Fuck it, I’m no longer going to do what I said I was going to do.”
He warned us that if we smoked weed we would be especially vulnerable to coming down with a severe case of “The Fuck its” where we would not study for our tests, skip classes and end up ineligible to play.
Anyhow, over the years I got wiser and was able to manage both smoking weed and achieved success in the areas of my life I cared about most. Eventually I dropped down to my maintenance weight of about 190 pounds.
My physical transformation was made possible by applying some very simple principles I am about to teach you.
Rule #1 – Don’t Rely on Will Power
We all feel super confident in our ability to stay disciplined right up until we eat an entire bag of Double Stuff Oreos and a quart of Ben & Jerry’s. Don’t put yourself in that position.
Instead, just get rid of all the unhealthy foods in your house, so if you do go on a little binge it will be on healthy foods. Personally, I just don’t bring junk food in the house, because I know for a fact it will be eaten about 45 minutes after I smoke.
In general this is a smart strategy even if you aren’t smoking weed. Research tells us that willpower is a finite resource that takes both mental energy and motivation. Get rid of the temptation and willpower is no longer needed.
Rule #2 – Be Prepared
Let’s face it, you’re going to eat something. Unless you are one of the few people who don’t experience the munchies, you’re going to be at risk of experiencing a significantly increased appetite.
Be prepared with a ton of healthy and nutritious options for food in your pantry and refrigerator. I usually have greens powder, batch cooked veggies, fruit, hemp protein and some beef jerky ready for me at all times.
Rule #3 – Get Your Workout In Early
I personally like to smoke and then workout, but many people don’t. If you know you’re likely to skip a workout if you get high – then make sure you get your workout in before you indulge in smoking.
It’s simple, but this needs to be mentioned, because otherwise you will fall victim to the “fuck it” syndrome. This also goes for anything else important that you have on your agenda. If you need to get something important done, don’t let yourself fall into the trap of “I’ll do it later”.
You probably won’t, so just do it before you smoke.
Rule #4 – Have Clearly Defined Realistic Goals
Research tells us that if you have a clearly defined realistic goal that has been previously established, it makes it much easier to stay within integrity of whatever it is you said you wanted to do.
If you decided that you are going to be eating in a calorie deficit for the next week, then you know that you cannot go off the hinges when you smoke. You’ll have a set amount of calories you’re supposed to eat and you can hold yourself accountable to that.
We’re on a mission to help every dude out there who wants to live green – and also live life ripped and feeling great.
I hope you find this useful!
)
